About fifty kilometres southwest of Bordeaux, you find the Arcachon Basin. This area, very popular in summer for its beaches, is strangely calm in November! We had the strange feeling of having arrived too late and missed the party. However, you can drive around without fear of the many traffic jams that infuriate everyone in July and August.

The Arcachon Basin is a large oyster production area and it is surrounded by charming fishing villages. As the tides comes & goes, you can see the fishermen and oyster producers in their small boats. And fortunately, despite the low season, there are still a few huts open for oyster tastings! Just as on the Ile de Ré or Oléron, this is an area that deserves to be explored leisurely on bikes to fully appreciate its beauty.

Port de Biganos: L’originalité de ce port dans le delta de l’Eyre est qu’il est situé dans un forêt. Il est aussi entouré de petites cabanes colorées assez photogéniques. En haute saison, il est possible d’aller faire une balade en canot sur le delta. / The originality of this harbour in the Eyre delta is that it is located in a forest. It is also surrounded by very photogenic small colourful huts. In high season, it is possible to go for a canoe ride on the Delta.Gujan-Mestras / Port Larros: Capitale de production ostréicole du Bassin d’Arcachon, cette ville possède 7 ports. Nous nous sommes arrêtés pour explorer l’un d’entre eux, le port de Larros. / Oyster production capital of the Arcachon Basin, the city has 7 harbours. We stopped to explore one of them, Port Larros.Port de Larros: Pierre ne pouvait faire un passage dans la capitale de l’huître sans en déguster quelques unes. Ici, un plateau de dégustation avec un petit verre de vin blanc. / Pierre couldn’t visit this oyster capital without tasting some. Here, a tasting plate with a glass of white wine.La Teste-de-Buch: Son port est un des plus authentiques de la région. Nous avons eu beaucoup de plaisir à s’y balader malgré le temps très maussade. / Its harbour is one of the most authentic of the region. We had a lot of fun wandering around despite very gloomy weather.

There is something so beautiful about out-of-season and you have captured it beautifully in this piece making me want to hop right in the car and drive 3 hours west to breathe it in. Merci infinitivement 🙂

Thanks Linda. Glad this brought back good memories. Also good to see you again. Popped by your site on your life in Berlin and was glad to see that you seem to be adapting well to your new life with your sense of humour intact!

Yep! I’m really happy here! It’s a great city 🙂
I was an au pair for a French family one summer when I was younger, and they had a summer house in Bassin d’Arcachon – it was like a whole new world for me 🙂

I am with you about oysters…can’t eat them either but Pierre loves them so he was very happy. The Bassin d’Arcachon is a very beautiful area and one that I would recommend to you & your family…though try to avoid it in July & Aug as it is a very popular summer destination of French people. It would be a nice place to do some biking as they have separate cycle paths.